Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless Earbuds at Best Buy #JabraHeadphonesBBY

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. This post also contains affiliate links.

The New Year is here which means a lot of us have made resolutions to get in better shape. It may mean joining a local gym, running through your neighborhood or working out at home. Regardless where you decided to work out, something we all seem to need to get us pumped is some good music to listen to.  Smartphones and MP3 players have made it easy for us to carry our music with us everywhere, but what about those dreadful earbuds?

Has this ever happened to you? You're on the elliptical (or any other piece of cardio equipment) and your pumping away, working up a sweat. But as you are jamming and exercising to your favorite tunes, that wire that goes from your earbuds to your phone is flopping all over the place in front of you. Then oops, your arms hits it and your earbuds come flying out of your ears? Just having that wire flailing about is super annoying. I've tried threading it through my top, but that doesn't usually work out too well either. Now with the Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless Earbud Headphones available at Best Buy, you can say goodbye to that wire.

Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless is an all-in-one training solution that combines an in-ear biometric heart rate monitor, immersive Dolby® Digital sound and real-time voice coaching. It’s US Military grade durability certifications will inspire runners, cyclists, and exercisers of all types to beat their best performance. With a built-in intelligent app - Jabra Sport Life - exercisers will also get the most out of their Sport Pulse Wireless earbuds, helping them plan, track and evaluate each workout. It has never been so easy to test fitness levels and aerobic capacity, adjust heart rate zone levels to optimize training, and set goals based on distance, time or calories burned Compatible with smartphones with BT capabilities.

The Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless is so much more than just headphones. I have to say that I love the idea of the real-time voice coaching that gives feedback on your workout in real time. That would be a great way to get some extra motivation. I would love to have a set of these and I am totally putting them on my birthday wishlist for the Spring!

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At time of posting, the Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless Earbud Headphones are $20 off at BestBuy.com. Price subject to change at anytime.

No Sugar No Grains Day 8 Weigh-In and Update #NSNG

It has been one week since I started my No Sugar No Grains lifestyle (I refuse to call it a diet) and I have definitely seen some positive changes. Avoiding sugars and grains hasn't been too difficult, I've been eating way more proteins and veggies which is a great thing. I have not eaten a single grain, which is challenging when you are surrounded by pasta, bread, crackers, etc. and the only sugar I have been consuming is a little bit in my coffee and sometimes in salad dressing. My next step is researching some yummy NSNG meal ideas and recipes so I don't get bored with what I'm eating. This is where my new NSNG Pinterest board will come in handy.

So without further ado, let's get to the numbers.

Date Weight (lb) Waist (in) Hips Thigh  Arm

Day 1 7/9/13 149 35  42 25.25 12

Day 8 7/16/13 145.5 34.5 41.25 24 12

Difference -3.5 pounds -.5 inch -.75 inch -1.25 inches 0

OK, so I am thrilled with my one week results! I honestly wouldn't believe these numbers if my new shorts weren't falling off of me yesterday. I expected to lose a few pounds right off the bat, but I was not expecting to see any inches come off. So that is a nice surprise for me. With such a great change in just one week, I can't wait to see what a month will do!

And yes, I realize I should be posting a before picture, but I'm not sure my ego could handle that. It's one thing to post my numbers without a horrifying photo to go with it. But I'll think about it.

Who else is working on fitness and weight loss this summer? How is it going?

Day 1: No Sugars No Grains Diet #NSNG

Two weeks ago I read and reviewed the book Fitness Confidential. Now that I am back from all of my trips (which I will be blogging about soon) and the 4th of July holiday is over, I am going to start putting into practice what I learned in that book. And what exactly did I learn? That I need to completely revamp my diet. Now when I say the word diet, I don't mean a temporary change to the way I am eating. This is not a quick fix; it is a lifestyle change. What Vinnie Tortorich explained in his book is that the key to losing weight and keeping it off is eliminating sugars and grains from our diets. Our society has gotten it completely backwards. We avoid foods with fat in them and instead eat foods loaded with sugar to make up for the lack of taste. Fat is the human body's natural source of fuel. Yet we skip that and load up on sugar and carbs, which actually just turn into fat in our bodies.

Now technically, yesterday was my day one since I didn't eat any grains and just had the tiniest bit of sugar in my coffee. But I forgot to weigh myself in the morning, so I am officially starting today.  I have a good 30 pounds to lose and I am anxious to get started. Now in all honesty, my piece of junk scale is off by at least 5 pounds; meaning I weigh 5 pounds more than it says. But since it is what I have daily access to, we will just go with it. So here are my numbers:

Marianna's Day One Numbers
Date: July 9, 2013
Weight: 149 pounds (so I'm actually about 155)
Waist: 35 inches (gah!)
Hips: 42 inches (double gah! this is what we call birthing hips)
Thigh: 25.25 inches
Arm: 12 inches

Gosh those numbers are depressing and I am hoping to make some real progress with this big change. In February I joined a local gym, where I spent one hour a day, 3 to 4 days a week working the hardest I have in my life? And do you know what I lost in 4.5 months? 2 pounds. After reading Fitness Confidential, I realized that exercise, while important, is not enough, It is all about what you eat. And since I now have 4 boys home from school, making it impossible to get to the gym, I am really going to focus on the food.

So stick around and see where this takes me. I figure I will do weekly updates and hopefully I will have some progress to report. 

Book Review: Fitness Confidential by Vinnie Tortorich

Since February of this year, I have been attempting to work my butt off. Literally. I'm not one for exercise. I hate it. But I got fed up with looking at my 30 pound overweight body in the mirror every day and so I decided to do something about it. So I joined a local gym. It's not one of those big chain places, but a somewhat new independent gym. I go there four days a week. Three days I do about 70 minutes on the elliptical and the other day I do 30 minutes on the elliptical plus 50 minutes of Zumba. In the beginning, my elliptcal workout started off has five miles per day, but over these months I've worked myself up to a minimum of seven miles.

I have never exercised this hard in my life or been this dedicated to it and I am immensely proud of myself. But in four months of exercising, do you know how many inches I've lost? None. Do you know how many pounds I have lost? Two and half. Two and a damn half pounds in four months. To say I am frustrated is an understatement. How is it possible that I haven't lost more? But I know why... food. Food is why I am overweight to begin with and food is why I can't drop it, despite all of my hard work. Yes I knew what the problem was, I just wasn't really sure what I needed to do. As an experiment I cut down on my carbs considerably (no more bread and pasta) and I immediately lost another two pounds in one week. Aha! There it is. Now that I had a better idea of what I was doing wrong, I needed to figure out how to proceed and do it right.

Then last week I was offered the opportunity to review an advanced copy of Vinnie Tortorich's Fitness Confidential book. The timing could not have been more perfect. Let me point out that I love to read. My Kindle is my very best friend. However I have never read any self help or fitness books before. I am almost strictly a romance girl with a little Game of Thrones and Star Wars mixed in (yes I am a total geek). So I really had no idea what to expect from Vinnie's book.

About the book.

America’s Angriest Trainer, Vinnie Tortorich, exposes the nasty underbelly of the fitness industry while helping you get into the best shape of your life. For over 20 years, Vinnie has been Hollywood’s go-to guy for celebrities and athletes looking to get fit fast. Now, in this hilarious and often r-rated memoir, he holds nothing back. What’s the best piece of fitness equipment money can buy? What’s the fastest way to lose weight: diet or exercise? Why are health clubs worse than used car lots? It’s all here. His take-no-prisoners approach to getting in shape started when he was a kid in Louisiana, where he was routinely teased and beaten after being crippled by a birth defect. He overcame it and, later, found his passion as an ultra cyclist, until a deadly disease nearly took his life on the eve of competing in the Furnace Creek 508: a brutal cycling competition through the heart of Death Valley. In FITNESS CONFIDENTIAL, Vinnie lays it all on the line. So get ready to get fit, get inspired and get the dirt with Hollywood’s most outrageous personal trainer.

I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. As I made my way reading through Fitness Confidential, I found myself laughing. A lot. I am fairly certain that the man next to me on the plane did not appreciate my constant giggling. This book was great because it wasn't just telling me what I needed to do in the typical boring fashion. This was a story. A story about where Vinnie Tortorich started and how he ended up where he is today. It's real and it's funny and because of that it was easy to relate to. I don't want to read a fitness book with a clinical tone that goes down through the steps of why I need to change my eating habits and puts me to sleep. I want a real story that happened to a real person. A story that shows how that diet and fitness routine worked in real life. And that is exactly what this book delivered. Of course he does go into what you should and shouldn't be eating (no I'm not going to tell you, you'll have to read the book). Keep in mind that this isn't a get thin quick scheme or one of those ridiculous fad diets. No, this is so much better than that because it is a lifestyle change. A permanent one. In this book you will learn what certain foods do to your body and what you should be eating to maintain a healthy body and weight.

In addition to teaching us all about food, Vinnie also discusses exercising and how you can started on the right foot. He explains how to find a good gym and a knowledgeable, qualified personal trainer to help you reach your goals. After reading some of his stories about the big chain gyms, I am glad there are none in my area. My independent gym has been perfect for me. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book com both from informational and storytelling standpoint. I mentioned earlier that I already suspected that food was my problem, but I wasn't 100% what I should be changing. Fitness Confidntial armed me with the knowledge I need to make a positive change to my diet and ultimately my body. Plus I honestly don't think I will soon forget reading about Vinnie's grueling training for the most crazy, insane cycling events I have ever heard of. Or waiting with anticipation to see if he would finally cross that finish line. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone, not just those struggling with weight like myself. But also everyone else, so they can learn what healthy eating and exercise truly is. 

Now I know what you are thinking. What are my results after following Vinnie's advice? Well, let me be completely honest with you. As I finish typing up this review, I am flying somewhere over the United States on my way to Las Vegas with my husband to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. Neither of us has ever been and you can bet my big butt that I'm going to be eating all kinds of things I shouldn't. So this is my last hoorah of eating crap before my new healthy eating lifestyle begins on July 2nd. I promise to report back in a few months.

Buy it!
Starting on Monday July 1st, the paperback version of Fitness Confidential will sell for $14.99 and the eBook will sell for $9.99, This weekend only (Saturday June 29th and Sunday June 30th) the eBook version of the book will be half price - $4.99! The eBook will be sold exclusively at Amazon.com.


For more information about Vinnie Tortorich visit: VinnieTortorich.com.

I was given a complimentary advanced copy of this book to facilitate my review. All thoughts an opinions are my own.

Fight Holiday Fat with alli

One of the things that I love about the holidays is the food. My mom is the best cook that I know and so I tend to give myself a free pass when it comes to eating around Christmas time. Not only do I stuff my face on Christmas Eve, - yes I will have extra tortellini carbonara and chocolate mousse, thank you very much - but I am also sent home with leftover to continue the gluttony. I justify this behavior by reminding myself that my new diet and exercise plan will start on January first. Now I have a tool that can help me fight holiday fat.

LetsFightHolidayFat.com combines three core elements for the weight conscious during the holidays: diet, physical activity and motivation in an easy-to-use interface. It helps track goals and prepare for long-term success with features including:
• Follow-along fitness videos; from cross training to yoga / pilates
• Healthy (reduced calorie, low-fat) daily meal suggestions and recipes
• Custom calorie and activity tracking
• Community and social features and forums
• Smart phone accessibility
• Expert tips and tricks

Every year my one and only resolution is to lose weight and get in shape. But every year I completely fail. This year I am determined to make a real go of it. My biggest hindrances seem to be lack of time and motivation. Now that I have a few hours with all four kids in school a few days a week, lack of time is no longer a valid excuse. However motivation is still something I need help with and probably always will. This site is something that can really help me with that. The feature that i think is the most helpful for me is the schedule. When you set up your profile it will have you select the kind of workouts you want to do and then put it into a schedule for you. Each day has a workout listed for you including what to do and video tips.

 When you set up your profile, you will also enter in your height and current weight plus your goal weight and it will calculate what you daily calorie count should be. You can then enter in everything you eat and drink to make sure you are staying within your goal. 

LetsFightHolidayFat.com has the tools you need to monitor your calories, help you find healthy recipes and set up an exercise routine to help you meet your fitness goals. I have only been using this for two weeks now but I am looking forward to continuing with it into the New Year. Especially once I start running in two days!

What are your weight loss and fitness goals for 2013? Do you think LetsFightHolidayFat.com can help you get there? Sign up for free today and get started on a healthier you!




I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for alli. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Battling the Post Baby Bulge

At first the baby bump was cute. Everyone was excited and you couldn't wait to show it off. But now that your bundle of joy has arrived, the baby bump is frustrating and you have to hide it. Losing the excess baby weight after childbirth is a very common problem for many of us. But it can be done!

photo courtesy morgueFile

The pregnancy process is a bit counterproductive to a normal 'fit' lifestyle. Your body craves more food and physically, you are forced to slow down and take it easy as the due date approaches. This creates a natural slowing of your metabolism as well as an increase in fat deposits for most of us. After giving birth it is usually a hectic adjustment to the constant waking to feed along with recovery from the physical experience; which makes the idea of exercise daunting to say the least. However this is one thing you should do for yourself and your baby!

Focus Points

• Abdominal muscles
• Lower back
• Arms & Shoulders

Some strength training should always be done after giving birth. You need to focus on a regular workout for abs and the lower back to help combat strain to the body from weight gain and weight loss. In addition, a change in breast size due to feeding can cause lower back problems if the muscles aren't strengthened. Also the arms and shoulders are typical trouble spots that need to be worked on. Carrying around a newborn and all of that baby gear is hard work and strong arms and shoulders will help immensely.

Cardiovascular Work

• Yoga
• Walking/Running
• Aerobics

photo courtesy stock.xchng

Surprisingly after the first few weeks of childbirth is the best time to start exercising again. A basic schedule has been developed for napping and you will have some time to devote to regular exercise. Yoga is very popular because it typically includes calming meditation as well as strengthening into the workout program. You can easily pop in a DVD while the baby naps.

Walking and running are another good starting point because you can utilize nap times and a stroller to enjoy exercise as well as getting out of the house. Aerobics can be a bit much to jump right into but with the variety of exercise programs and DVDs, they are very easy to incorporate into a nap schedule.

Diet

Typically right after child birth is not the best time to start any sort of hard diet. Your body is in recovery mode and if you are breastfeeding then you do not want to limit nutrients. However portions can be reduced from what you were eating in the previous two months as that was eating for two. Additionally drinking lots of water and eating regular meals will go a very long ways to re-establishing a more normal metabolism. Many people after birth end up eating sporadically and in a very unhealthy manner due to time constraints of adjusting to life with a baby.

Losing that baby weight and getting back in shape with not only help you physically but also mentally. This can help battle postpartum depression, strengthen your body for the coming toddler years, and help alleviate stress. By taking some time to help yourself, you will also help your child and family by having more energy and a better mood.

This is a guest post by Keira Sullivan and has been brought to you buy AbdominalWorkouts.com.

My 2012 Resolutions and Goals

Well it is that time again. Time to set up my resolutions and goals for the year,  most of which I will probably not complete. As you can see I am already off to a bad start since we are already 5 days into the New Year and I am just NOW writing these down. If you looked up procrastinator in the dictionary, you'd find my picture next to it for sure.

Without further ado, here is my New Year's resolution list:

• Get organized. Most of my house is a disaster zone and this has a lot to do with lack of organization. The biggest problem areas are the office, which you can barely move in, followed by the playroom. I need to purge and get rid of stuff, which I already started doing, plus get some organizational tools to help with storage.
• Get fit and lose weight. Yeah, this is a resolution I have every year. I need to eat better and exercise more. I already have some help lined up and will be trying out the Shaklee Cinch Inch Loss Program as well as exercising with Zumba Fitness 2 for my Wii.
• Go to bed earlier. I am up way too late at night because it is the only free time I have to blog. But the late night's are leaving me absolutely exhausted so I need to find a better way to manage my time. I'd love to be in bed between 10 and 11 each  night. (There are a few 10pm shows I watch).

I think I am going to stick with those three as to not overwhelm myself. Putting togther a long list is just setting myself up for failure. Last year I set about seven Green Goals and I only completed three of them. Not a very good ratio. I am really hoping to do better this year.

What are some of your New Year's resolutions and how do you plan on achieving them?

Gaiam TV: Streaming Health, Wellness & Fitness Videos

The New Year is rolling around soon and for many of us that means it is time to make those fitness and health resolutions. I am sure I am not alone in the fact that I stink at sticking to my New Year's resolutions. And while I know how important it is for me to exercise so I can be healthy and because I want to lose that last 15 pounds of weight, it is so hard for me to follow through on a fitness plan. While time is always an issue for me, I also lose interest after a while. I guess maybe I get bored.

This year I have found something that I definitely think will help me stick to those resolutions.  Gaiam TV offers a huge selection of streaming videos including fitness, wellness, spirituality, environment and more! The sheer amount of yoga videos and workout videos they have is awesome. Boredom will no longer be an excuse. Now if I start to get tired of a routine, I can pull up a different video and try something fresh and new.

Yoga is something I have always been interested in trying but never actually done. Well, except maybe for a few minutes on our Wii Fit, but I really don't think that qualifies. So the first section on Gaiam TV that I browsed was the Yoga video section. Since I am a newbie, I wanted to make sure I could find something for my (lack of) skill level. Thankfully, Gaiam TV has search filters to help you find the video that is just right for you. I was able to not only search for a Beginner level video, but also for videos that were 14 minutes or less. Even with those very specific criteria, I still was greeted with 3 pages of results.

I decided to start off with the Yoga Basics video which appeared at the top of my results. I figured that was a good place to start and ease my way into it. I also noticed a Postnatal Yoga video a little bit farther down on the list which looks like it would be great for moms.

While learning something new like Yoga is going to be fun, what I really need to work on is fitness and exercise. Gaiam TV leaves little room for excuses on why you didn't do your workout today. Yes there is a huge selection of workout videos to choose from, including over 20 Jillian Michaels workout videos. If that woman doesn't get you motivated, no one will. After hearing other moms talk about their success with her stuff, I am definitely going to be trying her out. But another feature that makes Gaiam TV great and easy to access is that it is available on multiple devices.

In addition to you being able to access the website and watch videos from your computer or laptop, Gaiam TV is also available on the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and is coming soon for Android phones, Roku Streaming Player and Samsung Smart TV. For someone like me with an iPhone, I can now bring my workouts with me wherever I go! This is also another reason for me to get an iPad, because I would much rather view these videos on the larger screen!

Gaiam TV is available by monthly subscription. A three month subscription can be purchased for $25, six months for $50 and twelve months for $89. Not ready to make a long term commitment? Then you can sign-up for the free 10 day trial offer to see if it is right for you.